The Oklahoma City Thunder took full advantage of the financial flexibility it had in the race to sign Derek Fisher.
Sources with knowledge of the contract terms told ESPN.com that Fisher received the bulk of Oklahoma City's remaining midlevel exception money: $2.3 million for the rest of the season.
In actual dollars, Fisher will earn nearly $1.9 million for the rest of the regular season from the Thunder, which computes to 66/82 of his $2.3 million salary-cap number thanks to the 66-game schedule in this lockout shortened season.
The Thunder made the $2.3 million offer to Fisher to not only outbid the Miami Heat – who were restricted to offering a veteran-minimum deal – but also to help the 37-year-old make up some of the money he forfeited to become a free agent. To convince the Houston Rockets to buy him out after a deadline-day trade with the Los Angeles Lakers on March 15, Fisher told the Rockets he would surrender next season’s $3.4 million salary.
OKC had roughly $3 million of its midlevel left to throw at Fisher, who cleared waivers on Wednesday and immediately signed with the Thunder.